Gyroscopic steering device for torpedoes.



'A. E. JONES.

GYROSCOPIC STEERLNG DEVICE FOR TORPEDOES- APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1913.

1,173,435. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

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T all whom it may concern:

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ALBERT EDWAIRDJ' ONES, OF FIUIVEE, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

GYBOSGOPIC STEERING DEVICE FOR TOBPEDO ES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

application filed August 19, 1913. Serial No. 785,456.

following 18 a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The present invention relates to steering regulators for torpedoes of the kind in which the centrifugal mass is driven by compressed-air, which by means of accurately adjustable timed locking devices 'trifugal mass during a 'proper moment.

of the clutching and (see E. P. 19987 A. D. 1908 and U. S. P. 954634) is allowed to act upon the cendefinite phase of the launching and in which the motor action of thecompressed air upon thecentrifugal mass is caused to cease owing to the fact that at a given moment the access of the compressed air to the fly wheel is cut off. I

The present invention provides the improvement that for the purpose of more exactly cutting off the motor effect of the compressed air, the latter does not act directly upon the fly wheel, but a separate turbine is provided whose shaft is clutched to the shaft of the centrifugal mass, and the motor effect of the compressed air is cut off owing to the fact that the clutch interposed between the. turbine shaft and the fly wheel .shaft is thrown out at the The clutch interposed between the rigid horizontally mounted turbine shaft and the horizontalshaft of the centrifugal mass, at the same time serves as a retaining member, which during the driving period holds the gyroscope shaft in the normal position, for which purpose a special part. has been provided in the constructions hitherto adopted. The arrangement described therefore not only renders unnecessary the employment of 'a special retaining member, but owing to the identity unclutching member with that by which the gyroscope is retained in the normal position, the effect is obtained that the point of time at which the motive power is cut ofl' absolutely coincides with the time at which the gyroscopic system is released, a factor which is of the greatest importance for insuring recision in the gyroscopic action The accompanying drawing (Figure l) a in and out of gear,

represents a steering regulator embodying the invention in partial vertical longitudinal section through the aXis of the flywheel. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sections on the lines C D and A B in Fig. 1. Fig. at shows the clutch thrown out in a. View analogous to Fig. 1.

The centrifugal mass 0 is keyed upon a horizontal shaft a mounted in the known manner in the annular system m, n: the left hand end of this shaft (Fig. 1) passes through the ball bearing m on the horizontal ring at and terminates in a claw clutch 11.

In line with the normally arranged hori- 'zontal shaft a of the centrifugal mass'o a short hollow shaft a is mounted; this shaft'is fitted with an air turbine 1) surrounded by a rigid ring w provided with a plurality of discharge nozzles 12 (Figs. 1 and 3). In this hollow shaft a shaft 6 is rotatably guided, and" this shaft 6 upon its end directed toward the gyroscopic system is provided with a clutch element 12 corresponding with the clutch element 11. This shaft [2 is alsoguided in a rigid tubular socket e and carries two collars 4,4 engaged by the crank pin 5 of a bent adjusting lever g, k which by means of a resilient trip device of known construction is moved into, and retained in the positions shown 'in Figs. 1 and 2. This trip device consists of a pin 10 guided in a rockable eye 7 and pivoted to the upwardly directed. arm 71: of the bent lever is, g pressed clownward by a spring 8 interposed between the eye 7, and the head of the pin 10, its stroke being limited by the nut 13.

In the position illustrated in Fig. 1 the clutch 11, 12 arranged between the displaceable part of the turbine shaft and the gyroscope shaft a is thrown in and the rotation imparted to the turbine wheel 0; during the air admission period is transmitted to the centrifugal mass of the gyroscope. If, however, the bentlever 5 7c is shifted from the position illustrated in Fig. l to the end position shown in Fig. 4-, the shaft Z) rotatably guided in the turbine shaft 2 is pressed back thereby throwing out the claw clutch between the turbine wheel and the gyroscope.

The rotation of the bell-crank leverg, is which throws the displaceable turbine shaft is produced by a bolt t rigidly guided upon the casing and between whose twodriver tappets 2, 3 the end of the arm 9 engages. The bolt t is actuated by a bell-crank lever k mounted upon the casing and subjected on the one hand to the influence of the differential piston u acted upon by a timed locking device and on the other hand to the influence of the counter spring ll acting upon the rod 16, in such a manner that the spring pressure brings the bell-crank lever into that position (Fig. 1) in which the turbine o is clutched to the centrifugal mass 0, while by the outwardly directed movement of the differential piston (arrow 1, Fig. 2) the turbine and the flywheel shaft areunclutched.

By means of the bell-crank lever 72,, which is provided with an extension serving as a handle, the members transferring the gyroscopic system into the normal position are thrown in and out of gear in the known manner and by the displacement of the differential piston in the direction indicated by the arrow the conduit leading to the turbine is closed. Accordingly the differential piston u which is subjected to the influence of the timed locking device does not throw-out the drive of the gyroscope shaft by cutting off the compressed air supply as in the devices hitherto adopted, but by releasing the clutch between the shaft of a separate driving turbine and the shaft of the centrifugal mass.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In a gyroscope steering device for torpedoes, the combination with a main shaft,

of a fly-wheel keyed on said main shaft, a clutch-member carried at one end of said main shaft, a turbine, a turbine shaft alining with said main shaft, a movable clutchmember carried on said turbine shaft and adapted-to engage the clutch-member on said main'shaft, and a differential control mechanism for clutching and unclutching said turbine shaft from said main shaft.

2. In a gyroscope steering device for torpedoes, the combination witha main shaft of a fly-wheel keyed on said main shaft, a clutch-member carried at one en of said main shaft, a turbine, a turbine shaft alining with said main shaft, a movable clutchmember carried on said turbine shaft and adapted to engage the clutch-member on said main shaft, and a control mechanism comprising a pivotally supported bell-crank lever, a rod pivotally connected to the long arm of said bell-crank lever, a spring carried by said rod and acting to oppose the movement of said bell-crank lever in one direction, a pivoted bolt depending from said bell-crank lever, tappets arranged on one side of said bolt and adjacent the lower end thereof, a trip-lever fulcrumed below said turbine shaft and having one of its arms connected to said movable clutch-member and the other of its arms operating between said tappets of said bolt, and a differential piston for actuating said bell-crank lever in one direction, and against the tension of said spring, whereby the turbine shaft may be alternately clutched to or unclutched from said main shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT EDWARD JONES. Htnesses:

VICTOR S. ZOLLOSKY' HENRY CLEMENTI. 

